


Tempus Omnia Revelat

by westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Screenplay/Script Format
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2000-08-15
Updated: 2000-08-15
Packaged: 2019-05-15 03:41:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,933
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14782955
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist/pseuds/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist
Summary: Josh tries to get an education reform bill passed.





	Tempus Omnia Revelat

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

**Tempus Omnia Revelat**

by Ann

 

Disclaimer: All characters belong to someone other than me. . . yada, yada, yada. . . no copyright infringement intended.

 

This is my first attempt at a West Wing story and is mainly a Josh story. Please tell me what you think. For those who don't understand latin Tempus omnia revelat means Time reveals all

 

 

Tempus omnia revelat

By: Ann

 

DONNA: "Good morning Josh, you have a noon meeting with Senator Davidson here, a cheese meeting at 2, and staff meeting in an hour, and you said you would buy me dinner this week." 

 

Donna Moss walks to her desk and sits down. She shuffles through some mail.

 

DONNA: "You can always say good morning to me. I saw you at your desk."

 

Still not getting a reply she walks over to Josh's office. The lights are out and the chair turned away from the door. She flips on the light.

 

DONNA: "Oh Josh, you didn't sleep here!" With a jump Josh wakes up and slides right out of his chair onto the floor.

 

JOSH: "I'm up! I'm up!" His eyes open and take in the scene. "Why should I be up again?"

 

DONNA: "Because you have a staff meeting in 55minutes and Leo will yell at me if you're late."

 

JOSH: "Leo?"

 

Josh said as he reaches up for a clock on his desk.

 

DONNA: "Yes, Leo, your boss, white house chief of staff"

 

JOSH: "I thought it was all just a really bad dream."

 

Donna gets up and walks out of the office

 

DONNA: "Josh, get up you have many important things to do today."

 

JOSH:"I'm up and will be at a meeting for something in an hour."

 

 

 

C.J. walks through the halls to her office. The first thing she notices is that everyone is smiling and watching her. She stops and looks around.

 

C.J.: "Don't you all have work to do, it's past nine go attend the first crisis of the day"

 

Her staff burst into loud work, at least they loudly tried to look busy.

 

C.J.: "Why do I feel that I have a surprise waiting for me?"

 

Up ahead of her she see Sam Seaborn.

 

C.J.: "Hey Sam. Come here."

 

Sam walks up, with twenty pounds of paper in his arms.

 

 

SAM: "I'm kinda busy, what do you need."

 

C.J.: "Whose in my office?"

 

SAM: "I'm not supposed to say."

 

C.J.:"You're the Deputy Communications Director, who's going to stop you?"

 

SAM: "I'm not allowed to tell you that either, the people I work for will do many things to make my life busier and worse than it is now, but don't worry it's a good surprise."

 

Sam pushes his way back out to the busy hall and strides to his office.

 

C.J.: "A good surprise, huh?"

 

C.J. walks up to her office and opens the door.

 

C.J.: "You're not allowed back here Danny."

 

DANNY: "I know, but I was just checking on Gail."

 

Danny walks over to the fish bowl and watches as the fish swam around the press podium.

 

C.J.: "How is it that my staff let's you come in here, when I'm not here yet?"

 

DANNY: "That's because I'm nice and cute. I also gave them food. I brought you something."

 

C.J.: "What did you do now?"

 

DANNY: "Nothing, however I do want something before I give you my gift."

 

C.J.: "You aren't getting any leads."

 

DANNY: "I know I want you to go to dinner with me, there's this great new Italian restaurant."

 

C.J.: "What's my present?"

 

DANNY: "I brought you little goldfish crackers."

 

C.J.: "Get out of my office."

 

C.J. sits down behind her desk and begins to read

memos.

 

DANNY: "Does that mean yes?"

 

Danny begins to walk to the door.

 

C.J.: "It means I'll think about it."

 

Danny begins to reach for the door handle.

 

C.J.: "Wait" Danny turns around to see why C.J. told

him to wait.

 

C.J.: "I like to give my staff time to get away from the door. You can leave now."

 

DANNY: "Bye C.J.".

 

LEO:"Ok, we're all ready to begin."

 

The president walks in.

 

POTUS: "Really, is Josh not here today?"

 

Jed Bartlet looks at the staff.

 

POTUS: "Charlie could you please go find Donna or Josh, he needs to be now."

 

CHARLIE: "Yes, sir."

 

Charlie walks to the door to the door and leaves.

 

TOBY: "SO, does any one know why Josh is late?"

 

SAM: "He was here when I left."

 

POTUS: "Well, he won't be late again."

 

Bartlet sits down in his chair.

 

TOBY:"Dare I ask why sir?"

 

POTUS: "Can anyone tell me three flightless birds?"

 

The entire staff groans aloud.

 

 

CHARLIE: "Donna have you seen Josh?"

 

Charlie walks up to Donna's desk.

 

CHARLIE: "He's not in his office."

 

DONNA: "Did you look under his desk, he likes to hide

there."

 

Donna gets up and walks over to Josh's office.

 

CHARLIE: "Really?"

 

Charlie flips the lights on.

 

DONNA: "No, but he falls off his chair and ends up there. See"

 

Josh is still asleep with his head resting on the chair.

 

DONNA: "Your turn to wake him up."

 

Donna leaves the room.

 

CHARLIE: "Josh it's 9, time to get up."

 

Charlie reaches over and shakes Josh hard enough that he falls over, but doesn't get up.

 

CHARLIE: "Josh let's go"

 

Charlie shakes Josh even harder.

 

DONNA: "JOSH, GET UP!"

 

Josh doesn't move for a moment, but then slowly opens his eyes.

 

JOSH: "Charlie? Am I supposed to be somewhere?"

 

CHARLIE:"It's time for the senior staff to brief the president, get up."

 

Josh slowly rises to his feet and puts his hands on his desk.

 

JOSH: "Advisement? but nothing new has happened."

 

He picks up some folders and begins to walk out of his

office.

 

CHARLIE: "Josh, you don't look very good. When was the last time you slept?"

 

JOSH: "About a minute ago, until you got me up."

 

Josh stands outside his office for a moment.

 

JOSH: "Charlie, which way do I go?"

 

CHARLIE: "I'll walk you there."

 

 

C.J.: "England, sir."

 

Josh walks in.

 

TOBY: "Oh look who has joined us today."

 

C.J.: "I must say Josh, you look very interesting with a beard."

 

C.J. tries not to laugh out loud.

 

The president pulls out his glasses and begins to read something.

 

POTUS: "Yes, it is an interesting look for you, but you're late. I'm very sure your friends won't

let you do that again."

 

JOSH: "Yes, sir"

 

LEO: "Now, if we may begin. Mr. President bill 470 will get through the house with more than enough votes, but the Senate may be a little tricker."

 

POTUS: "Good make it happen. Toby do I have any speeches to read."

 

TOBY: "Yes, however you will not get it unless you promise not to ad any embellishments."

 

POTUS: "It's a good thing you work for me and can't do anything if I do add a little character to it."

 

TOBY: "It's for a hospital opening and you should set a good example. Don't embellish, sir."

 

POTUS: "Sam, what happens if I embellish?"

 

SAM: "You make our lives a living hell, sir. The last speech you cost two points in the polls."

 

POTUS: "Good, you need challenges. Josh what do you have for me?"

  

Josh lay slumped over on the couch next to Sam with his eyes closed.

 

POTUS: "Josh?"

 

CHARLIE: "I do believe he's asleep, sir"

 

POTUS: "Really? That's a new one, you all are so boring you put Josh to sleep."

 

TOBY: "You will notice how quickly this meeting has gone."

 

C.J.: "Can we use him as an ornament or a plant holder, sir?"

 

Sam reaches over and taps Josh on the solider.

 

SAM: "Time to get up lazy."

 

Josh doesn't even move.

 

SAM: "Josh, get up."

 

Sam shakes Josh hard.

 

SAM: "Sir, this isn't right Josh is a really light sleeper"

 

TOBY: "I won't ask how you know that Sam"

 

C.J.: "Aren't those the same clothes he wore yesterday?"

 

C.J. looks worried about her friend. Josh is normally so full of energy.

 

SAM: "I think it's the same suit he's worn all week.  Sir, is your doctor here? I thought I saw him earlier today."

 

POTUS: "No, but Abigail is. I'll get her"

 

Seconds later the president's wife runs through the door carrying her medical bag.

 

FLOTUS: "What's wrong?"

 

POTUS: "Would you wake up Josh."

 

FLOTUS: "Did you bore him to sleep."

 

Abigail bends over Josh and cracks a vial of smelling salts. Josh nods his head, but stays asleep. She takes Josh's pulse.

 

FLOTUS: "He has almost no pulse! Call an ambulance."

 

 

 

Donna sits in a chair with her head on her desk. Mrs. Landingham walks by.

 

MRS. LANDINGHAM: "He'll be ok, the doctor said he just had to stay in the hospital until they know why he's unconscious."

 

DONNA: "I know, but I should have known something was wrong when he didn't get up this morning. He slept in his office again. And I couldn't get him up when I came into the office."

 

MRS. LANDINGHAM: "It's not your fault, if he was sick he shouldn't have come into the office yesterday."

 

Mrs. Landingham opens her hand.

 

MRS. LANDINGHAM: "Here, have a cookie. The President wants you to figure out what Josh has been working on in that mess he calls an office."

 

 

POTUS: "Thanks you."

 

He hangs up and turns to Charlie.

 

POTUS: "The doctor at the hospital said that Josh was dehydrated and was weak from lack of nourishment.  Imagine that, he worked himself sick."

 

CHARLIE: "Yes sir, should I go tell the staff?"

 

POTUS: "No, I'm going to go talk to Ms. Moss."

 

DANNY: "I'm hear to see Joshua Lyman, I'm a friend from his work."

 

Danny Concanon walks up to the front desk of the hospital

 

HOSPITAL STAFF: "Yes, he's expecting you. Sign in here please, he's in room 235."

 

Danny walks slowly to the room.

 

DANNY: "Hey Josh, I hear you worked yourself sick."

 

Danny walks quietly into the room.

 

JOSH: "Yeah, too many hours cleaning up your stories."

 

Josh grins weakly.

 

DANNY: "You wanted to see me?"

 

JOSH: "Yeah, I need a favor. . . "

 

 

Donna is going through the papers in Josh's office.  In a corner she finds an enormous stack of papers and begins organizing them.

 

DONNA: "I don't remember pulling anything on school reform."

 

Talking to herself when she heard a knock on the door.

 

 

DONNA: "Come in"

 

Donna doesn't even look up.

 

POTUS: "Donna?"

 

Jed turns the light on Josh's desk on.

 

DONNA: "Yes, sir"

 

Donna stands up and almost trips over papers.

 

POTUS: "The doctor said that he woke up and is conscience, but very weak. He was dehydrated and over worked. Do you know if he's been going home at nights?"

 

DONNA: "He's always here when I leave and when I get here. Bonnie said that he's been here almost every night."

 

POTUS: "What has he been working on?"

 

The president opens some of the folders on Josh's desk.

 

DONNA: "I don't know, all of this is work, but this entire pile is about school reform. He's had a lot of meetings with different senators lately and Mallory has been coming by a lot."

 

Donna looks over the desk and tears begin to run down her cheek.

 

DONNA: "I should have watched him better. I should have known he was sick."

 

POTUS: "Donna, listen to me. This isn't your fault, I want you to go down to the hospital and make sure he's ok. Then I want you to call me and tell me how he's doing."

 

The president gets up and leaves.

 

 

LEO: "Sam have you seen Mallory lately."

 

Leo steps into Sam's office.

 

LEO: "She been out late almost every night this month and she won't tell me where she's been."

 

SAM: "Actually no. I haven't seen her for about a month. Ever time I talk to her she has a meeting to go to or something to do for her class."

 

LEO: "A meeting?"

 

SAM: "Yeah, I asked her to dinner."

 

LEO: "What!?"

 

SAM: "I was going to tell you if she accepted, but she said she had a meeting to go to."

 

LEO: "That's weird. Hey listen, about Josh. Do you know if he's been going home at all this month."

 

SAM: "No he's been reclusive lately. I asked him out for a beer, but he said he had a dinner meeting with some senator. He's been working pretty hard lately."

 

 

LEO: "Don't work too hard."

 

Leo walks back out into the hallway.

 

 

C.J.:"Ok let's begin the noon briefing. I want to keep this short and sweet. So only a few questions today."

 

C.J. walks up to the press podium. She looks over the crowd and her eyes rest on where Danny should be sitting, but his chair is empty. She looks back to the press bullpen and could faintly make out the curly red hair hunched over his laptop.

 

C.J.: "Top story is that Josh Lyman is recovering in Georgetown hospital. He collapsed in the oval office from dehydration and generally being overworked. The doctor's say he is conscious and begging to get back to work. He should be back tomorrow. So enjoy the rest while you can get it."

 

BILLY: "C.J.!"

 

C.J.: "Yes Billy"

 

BILLY: "Did the president have any reaction the Josh's condition and what was he working so hard on?"

 

 

C.J.: "The president is concerned, however he has already said that we do not get vacations because Josh worked too hard. I don't know exactly what he was working on, but if it's important you'll know about it soon. "The rest of today's news is in the press packet and I'll take more questions tonight."

 

C.J. walks away from the press podium and motions to one of the secretaries.

 

C.J.: "Would you bring Danny Concanon to my office."

 

 

 

C.J.: "Danny, you weren't at the press briefing. Got a good story going?"

 

DANNY: "As a matter of fact I do, and no I'm not going to tell you what it is." Danny walks up to the fish tank.

 

DANNY: "So thought about what I said?"

 

C.J.: "Tell me the story and I'll have dinner with you."

 

Danny's smiling face falls.

 

DANNY: "Sorry, C.J., but I promised to keep the story a secret. But you can read about it in my paper in a couple of days."

 

DANNY: "Ok you can have dinner with me some other time. Bye."

 

SAM: "Hey Mal. Where are you?"

 

MALLORY: "I'm out and about."

 

Sam puts his feet up on his desk and smiles.

 

SAM: "Well, if your father doesn't object would you like to go out to dinner, then stop by and see Josh."  

 

Mallory smiles and laughs.

 

MALLORY: "That's really sweet of you, but I have to work tonight. I've got papers to grade."

 

SAM:"Well, I guess I'll just go talk to Josh alone tonight."

 

Mallory frowns in concern.

 

MALLORY: "I just saw Josh, the doctor wants him to rest and sleep tonight."

 

JOSH: "What does he want?"

 

Josh sits up in his bed carefully. Papers crinkle at his movement.

 

Sam sighs.

 

SAM: "I guess it's another night alone for me. Bye"  

MALLORY: "Bye"

 

They both hang up the phone.

 

JOSH: "What did Romeo want now?"

 

MALLORY: "He wanted me to go out to dinner with him and then come over and talk with you."

 

JOSH: "He really likes you."

 

MALLORY: "Yeah"

 

JOSH: "When he's not petrified of your father."

 

MALLLORY: "You're lucky I don't approve of beating up sick people."

 

JOSH: "Yeah, thanks for coming and helping me. If you need anything you can ask Donna to get it. I told her to go home and sleep tonight so she can help me tomorrow."

 

MALLORY: "You really need to get a laptop or computer in here and not write this by hand."

 

JOSH: "I know, it's just that it began by hand and every addition has been a few pages. Besides who in my office can keep their mouth shut if I asked them to type something that important. Even Donna would tell someone."

 

MALLORY: "I'll deliver this to the Senators office, but you have to promise to take it easy. Sam always tells me how hard you work and he would be really upset if something happened to you."

 

 

JOSH: "I was going to take a break, but there has just been so much to do and Paul hasn't been feeling well. He has these terrible headaches, so I've been working so hard to get this done and not slack on my job."

 

Suddenly the door opens and a doctor sticks his head in.

 

DOCTOR: "I'm sorry, but Mr. Lyman needs to rest."

 

MALLLORY: "Josh, I'll deliver this and I won't tell my dad, but do take care of yourself."

 

JOSH: "I'm not going anywhere."

 

Josh picks up the papers and piles them up. Mallory starts for the door, but turns around and takes all of the papers.

 

MALLORY: "I'll just leave these with a nurse and you can pick them up tomorrow."

 

JOSH: "Hey no! I need to work on those."

 

MALLORY:"You need to rest and sleep."

 

Mallory shuts the door to his protests.

 

 

POTUS: "Before Josh comes in let me just say that I expect you all to keep Josh from working too hard."

 

The door opens slowly.

 

MRS. LANDINGHAM: "Mr President, Josh is here."

 

POTUS: "Send him in"

 

JOSH: "Hey everybody. I'm back"

 

Josh explodes through the door smiling.

 

JOSH: "I feel great."

 

LEO: "Well, good because it's time to get back to

work."

 

JOSH: "Great lets get started."

 

 

DONNA: "Josh I missed you."

 

Donna runs up and gives Josh a hug.

 

JOSH: "Boy, I should spend a day in bed more often."

 

 

But he doesn't let go of Donna for a moment.

 

DONNA: "I missed you."

 

JOSH: "I missed you too. What's my schedule like today."

 

DONNA: "Very clear. First you clean your office, then Senator Coverdell wants you to call him ASAP.  Then you have a meeting with Leo about the situation in Alaska. Then I'm taking you out to dinner."

 

JOSH: "Or ordering it in."

 

DONNA: "How about Chinese."

 

JOSH: "Ok that's great. One other thing."

 

Josh stops at his office door.

 

JOSH: "Wow, it's organized and clean and. . organized."

 

DONNA: "Yeah I cleaned it up for you."

 

Donna notices that Josh's glance rests on the corner where the stack of education reform papers were.

 

JOSH: "There were papers there?"

 

DONNA: "Yeah, I organized them and put them here."

 

Donna points to the file folders that sat on the floor by Josh's desk.

 

DONNA: "You needed something."

 

JOSH: "What?"

 

DONNA: "You said you needed something?"

 

JOSH: "Oh, never mind."

 

DONNA: "No, tell me."

 

JOSH: "It's not important."

 

DONNA: "Joshua Lyman te;l me what you need."

 

JOSH: "I need to talk to Danny."

 

DONNA: "Danny?"

 

JOSH: "Yeah Danny Concanon the reporter."

 

DONNA: "Why?"

 

JOSH: "Why what?"

 

Josh asks as he sits down and begins looking through folders.

 

DONNA: "Why do you want to see Danny?"

 

JOSH: "I'll tell him that."

 

DONNA: "Fine, be difficult. But he's been working really hard C.J. said that he actually passed on a dinner with her."

 

JOSH: "Whatever. Wait, what he didn't go out with her."

 

DONNA: "Yeah, he wouldn't tell her the story he was working on."

 

JOSH: "Yeah, whatever. Go get him for me."

 

 

POTUS: "Mrs. Landingham, what do I have to do next?"

 

 

MRS. LANDINGHAM "Actually sir, you said you wanted to go talk to Josh."

 

POTUS: "Where is he now."

 

MRS. LANDINGHAM: "He should be in his office at this time."

 

POTUS: "Good"

 

Potus walks out of the oval office

 

 

 

JOSH: "Hey Danny, how's the paper going."

 

DANNY: "Fine, thanks for asking."

 

Josh pauses and looks at Donna.

 

DONNA: "No, I'm ësupposed to keep you from doing anything to make yourself tired. I'm not

leaving you."

 

JOSH: "Danny please close the door with Donna outside."

 

Donna steps out reluctantly and fumes as the door shuts.

 

JOSH: "How's the story?"

 

DANNY: "Really good, my editor is putting it in tomorrow paper, cover story."

 

Josh smiles

 

JOSH: "That's great. Hey Danny, in about a month I'm going to have a dinner party. Why don't 

you come. It's going to be senior staff. I heard that you passed on dinner with C.J. for this story  

and I want to make it up to you."

 

DANNY: "Yeah, I'll be there."

 

A smile flashes across Danny's face

 

JOSH: "Great, I'll tell you when. When you leave don't tell Donna. I want to surprise her."

 

 

POTUS: "Donna?"

 

Jed walks up to Donna's desk

 

DONNA: "Yes, sir."

 

Donna stands up.

 

POTUS: "Is Josh in his office."

 

DONNA: "Yes, sir. But he's talking to Danny Concanon."

 

POTUS: "Really, about what?"

 

DONNA: "I don't know, they shut the door."

 

POTUS: "I'll just wait for him."

 

The president stands by Donna's desk.

 

The door to Josh's office opens and Danny walks out.

 

DANNY: "Thanks Josh. See ya."

 

Danny sees the president.

 

DANNY: "Hello sir. How are you today?"

 

POTUS: "I'm good, how are you?"

 

DANNY: "Fine Mr. President"

 

POTUS: "What were you and Josh talking about."

 

Danny looks at his watch nervously.

 

DANNY: "Just a story that I need to call in. I'll see you soon Mr. President."

 

Danny leaves quickly and Jed walks into Josh's office.

 

POTUS: "Don't get up Josh."

 

Josh begins to get up.

 

JOSH: "What can I do for you sir."

 

POTUS: "Sit down Josh I don't want you to do much until you feel better."

 

JOSH: "I feel great after getting a day off sir."

 

POTUS: "I've heard that there are some rumblings on the hill about some new legislation."

 

JOSH: "Really? Do you know what about sir?"

 

POTUS: "No, no one is talking. I would like you to find out."

 

Josh looks very concerned.

 

POTUS: "Josh are you sure that you are ok? You look pale."

 

JOSH: "I'm fine sir. I'll talk to some people."

 

POTUS: "If your not ok, I will sic my wife on you."

 

JOSH: "I'm really ok sir."

 

POTUS: "You know if something is wrong, you can tell me. We've known each other for a while."

 

JOSH: "Thank you sir, I just have work to do now."

 

POTUS: "Ok, I'll go."

 

Jed gets up and leaves.

 

 

CAROL: "Good morning C.J. How are you this glorious morning?"

 

C.J.: "Wow, someone is in a good mood. I'm was feeling good, until I read Danny's article.  Would you send him to my office."

 

Carol begins to walk away.

 

C.J.: "Hey Carol, I'll go get him instead."

 

C.J. walks through the press bullpen and up to Danny's desk. He is typing on his laptop and

looking at his notepad.

 

C.J.: "Danny."

 

DANNY: "Yes, C.J."

 

C.J.: "I was having a great morning, I got up and made coffee and sat down to read the paper. Then I saw this."

 

C.J. tosses down a copy of Danny's paper and reads from the front page

 

C.J.: "Education is the most important issue that faces America?" What in the world are you doing?"

 

DANNY: "I was writing tomorrow article, but now I'm talking to you."

 

C.J.: "I meant in the article. Why would you write something that's going to get the entire press corps in a frenzy over something that's not on the agenda now. You know we are going to tackle education, but we don't have the ability to now."

 

DANNY: "Education is very important and often overlooked."

 

C.J.: "Fine, who's the source?"

 

DANNY: "Excuse me?"

 

C.J.: "You named a white house source close to the president saying that education was very

important and needs full attention."

 

DANNY: "Oh that source."

 

C.J.: "Yes, that source Danny."

 

DANNY: "No doing, this source wanted to be kept in the dark for a while."

 

C.J.: "Give me a department, I need to talk to this person."

 

DANNY: "No, he would kill me and I promised that I wouldn't use his name."

 

C.J.: "Fine."

 

DANNY: "Good"

 

C.J.: "Danny, this is important, you've made education a big issue. Everyone will follow your

lead now."

 

DANNY: "I'm counting on it C.J."

 

C.J.: "Fine, Briefings at noon."

 

DANNY: "Great I'll tell the next person I see."

 

C.J. gets up and leaves slightly upset.

 

DANNY: "Josh, you owe me big."

 

 

 

DONNA: "Sam, Josh is in your office."

 

SAM: "What's he want."

 

DONNA: "He wouldn't tell me."

 

SAM: "How longs he been in there?"

 

DONNA: "Five minutes."

 

Sam walks into his office and throws some papers on his desk. Josh immediately shuts the door.

 

JOSH: "I need a favor Sam."

 

SAM: "Sure, anything."

 

JOSH: "You can't tell anyone. Not your staff, Toby, Leo, the President, not even Mal."

 

SAM: "That's interesting how you made Malory seem the most important person."

 

JOSH:"Sam I'm serious. This is really important."

 

Josh looks very serious. Sam pauses and considers.

 

JOSH: "Promise me you won't tell anyone."

 

SAM: "Ok, I won't tell anyone."

 

JOSH: "Read this for me and give me your honest opinion about it and your political opinion."

 

Josh hands Sam about five pages. He then sits down.

 

SAM: "Ok."

 

Sam looks a little out of place with Josh sitting there. He begins to read it.

 

SAM: "Why's it handwritten."

 

JOSH: "Just read it." Sam reads it.

 

JOSH: "What do you think."

 

SAM: "I say it's amazing."

 

He flips through it quickly.

 

SAM: "It's the best short position paper on education I've ever read. This proposes a higher

salary for teachers, better schools, much better accountability, good standards, reasonable goals,

and a real way to get there. Did you write this?"

 

Sam gets up and opens the door to get a message from a secretary.

 

JOSH: "It's not a position paper, it's an overview to a resolution."

 

Sam slams the door shut.

 

SAM: "A resolution?"

 

JOSH: "Yeah."

 

SAM: "Who wrote this?"

 

JOSH: "Someone."

 

SAM: "Why do you want me to read it."

 

JOSH: "I need your support. I wrote part of it and Senator Paul Coverdell wrote the other

part."

 

SAM: "Senator Coverdell from Georgia. The Republican?"

 

JOSH: "Do you know another Coverdell."

 

SAM: "I'm impressed. This is a massive project. Of course it would never pass, it wouldn't

even come close."

 

JOSH: "If the president likes it and makes it an issue, we think we can get enough votes, but it will be very close."

 

SAM: "The president would probably like the idea, but the Democratic party would never go for it. I'm fairly certain the Republican party would vote against it."

 

JOSH: "Don't be so pessimistic, we've talked to some people and they think it may work."

 

SAM: "Why do you need my support."

 

JOSH: "I need to convince people in this building to like it. I'm going to talk to the first lady in a

couple of hours. I was hoping you would run it by Toby as a position paper and try to get him to like it."

 

SAM: "Toby would love the bill, but never say so.  The higher accountability would hurts us in the polls and we can't afford to go down another couple of points."

 

JOSH: " We would only lose the points if we were the only people to come out supporting it, I'm proposing a massive bipartisan effort. It can't fail, but we need the president and his staff."

 

SAM: "I'll talk to Toby, but no guarantees."

 

JOSH: "Great. Thanks Sam, I'm going to go talk to the first lady."

 

Josh gets up and leaves

 

 

POTUS: "Someone is going to have to come with me.  I'm not going to listen to graduation speeches alone."

 

 

The senior staff are sitting around in a circle in the oval office

 

LEO: "Josh, go with him."

 

POTUS: "If that's all. Josh and I will be leaving."

 

 

Background sound of a helicopter landing

 

JOSH: "Where is the graduation sir?"

 

POTUS: "Only about thirty minutes away, by air. But we will be going over many interesting spots. I hope your up on your trivia."

 

The rest of the senior staff begins to laugh after the president and Josh leave. The first lady walks in.

 

FLOTUS: "Did he leave already."

 

LEO: "Yes, you just missed him and Josh leave."

 

SAM: "Leo, could we talk to you for a moment."

 

LEO: "Can it wait."

 

FLOTUS: "No, Leo it can't"

 

 

Josh's cell phone rings and he answers it.

 

JOSH: "Yeah, this is Josh. Please let this be a emergency"

 

LEO: "Not enjoying trivia with the president?"

 

JOSH: "Of course I am in fact next time you can go with him."

 

LEO "Sam wanted me to call, so you know we are all behind you and Senator Coverdell. I'll talk to the president tomorrow about the bill."

 

JOSH: "Thanks Leo, I really appreciate it."

 

Josh hangs up.

 

POTUS: "Did you know that that town was one of the first to send representatives to the continental congress."

 

JOSH: "No, sir. But I'm sure I'm about to learn all about it."

 

 

 

POTUS: "That was a throughly boring graduation speech."

 

JOSH: "Yes sir."

 

Josh picks up his briefcase.

 

JOSH: "Shall we go."

 

The secret service escort the president and Josh towards the helicopter. A secret service man

approaches Josh.

 

SECRET SERVICE AGENT: "Sir, shall I stow this away for you."

 

JOSH: "Yeah sure."

 

The secret service man puts the briefcase in the helicopter. Another agent comes over to the

president.

 

SECRET SERVICE AGENT: "Sir, would you please walk away from the helicopter until it is almost ready to leave."

 

POTUS: "Sure, I'll go talk to the graduating class."

 

 

Josh gets a quizzical look on his face.

 

POTUS: "They think something is wrong and want me away."

 

The president begins to talk to some of the students when a huge fireball rises in the back ground

and the thunderous boom of an explosion is heard.  Josh acts without thinking and knocks the president to the ground. Secret service agents pile on both of them.

 

POTUS: "What the hell was that?"

 

No one answers him. As the secret service agents get up slowly the president sits on the grass

thinking.

 

An agent says. Josh looks like he's having a hard time catching his breath.

 

POTUS: "Josh. Josh are you ok.?"

 

Josh raises his hand, but doesn't say anything. For a moment Josh closes his eyes and manages to catch his breath.

 

JOSH: "Got the wind knocked out if me. Sorry sir."

 

Josh smiles

 

JOSH: "It looks like the helicopter exploded. Sir"

 

POTUS: "Smart ass."

 

SECRET SERVICE AGENT: "A car will take you both to the white house and I'll explain once we are under way."

 

Josh gets up slowly and begins to walk over to a waiting car with the president.

 

  

SECRET SERVICE AGENT: "The president and the deputy chief of staff are fine. Apparently an agent thought something was wrong with the helicopter and went to look at it. When the pilot began to get ready to leave something caught fire and exploded. The president was on the far end of the field."

 

FLOTUS: "Are you sure they both are ok."

 

SECRET SERVICE AGENT: "The president was absolutely fine, Josh had a hard time catching his breath, but will be fine. A physician will attend to both of them when they arrive.

 

  

 

Josh walks into the oval office.

 

JOSH: "He's been examined b his physician and will be here in a moment."

 

The first lady begins to walk out.

 

JOSH: "You might want to give him a moment to calm down."

 

LEO: "You know, that's probably good advice. Are you ok Josh.?"

 

JOSH: "Yeah I'm fine."

 

FLOTUS: "Really?"

 

JOSH: "Yes, really. Except that my copy of the education bill just got blown up by the people it's

supposed to help."

 

SAM: "Don't you have another copy."

 

JOSH: "No, Senator Coverdell does, but he's in the hospital to have surgery. He collapsed from a brain hemorrhage."

 

FLOTUS: "Here Josh put this on."

 

The first lady hands Josh a think wool jacket.

 

FLOTUS: "You look pale."

 

Josh reaches out to grab it and cries out in pain when he grabs it. The entire staff looks at Josh in

surprise as he cradles his arm. The first lady runs across the room and gently takes Josh's arm from him.

 

 

LEO: "What happened?"

 

The first lady runs her hands down Josh's arm, he softly cries out in pain when she touches his wrist.

 

FLOTUS: "I think he broke it. Josh tell me if this hurts."

 

She turns his wrist and he pulls his arm out of her hands.

 

JOSH: "Yeah, that hurts." a pause "A lot."

 

FLOTUS: "It's defiantly broken. Let's go get that

x-rayed."

 

Josh walks sedately out of the oval office following the first lady. Leo picks up the jacket and put it over a chair.

 

SAM: "That's predictable. Josh gets hurt and doesn't even know it"

 

LEO: "Well that was surprising."

 

A cell phone rings in the office.

 

C.J.: "Not mine"

 

TOBY: "No"

 

SAM: "Mine's in my office"

 

LEO: "It's not mine."

 

Everyone begins to walk around and look for it. Sam picks up a phone on the ground where Josh was standing.

 

SAM: "Hello, Joshua Lyman's phone. This is Sam Seaborn how may I help you."

 

MRS. COVERDELL: (VO)This is Senator Coverdell's wife.  You're Sam, Josh's friend?"

 

SAM: "Yes, he's getting his arm x-rayed and can't come to the phone now can I tell him

something for you."

 

The staff stifles laughs at Sam's words.

 

MRS. COVERDELL (VO): "Would you tell him that I can't find the bill he needs and Paul's condition hasn't improved."

 

SAM: "Yes Mam I'll go find him and tell him that

now."

 

MRS. COVERDELL (VO): "Thank you Sam."

 

She hangs up.

 

SAM: "You know that education reform bill we've been working on. It's lost"

 

 

 

Slowly the lights in the white house turn off. Donna is the last person in the offices. She walks from one desk to another, turning off lights and pushing in chairs. Last she approaches Josh's office, the door is closed. She pauses for a moment then walks in. Josh is sitting with his arm in a sling and brace, his head on his desk. There is a half empty decanter next to a empty glass. Leo sighs behind Donna, she turns in surprise. Leo motions for her to follow they walk out of the office.

 

LEO: "Donna, is he all right?"

 

DONNA: "Honestly sir, I don't think so."

 

LEO: "What happened, I haven't seen him this bad since the Illinois primary."

 

DONNA: "I don't know he was talking and laughing with Sam and me then his phone rang. Sam handed him his phone and he answered it. He just turned pale and went into his office got his jacket and left. He came back about an hour ago and hasn't left since."

 

LEO: "Is Sam still here?"

 

DONNA: "I don't think so. I have to go home should I just leave him there all alone."

 

LEO: "Go home Donna I'll take care of him. Let him sleep late tomorrow."

 

DONNA: "Good night sir."

 

Donna picks up her jacket and leaves. Leo watches her go then creeps into Josh's office. He picks up the decanter and it's top. He looks wistfully at the bottle then puts the top on and puts it away. He sits down in a chair and puts his feet on another chair.  He looks at Josh one more time and falls asleep.

 

 

 

POTUS: "Good morning everyone. Where's Leo and Josh.?"

 

No one says anything. Jed walks into Leo's office.

 

POTUS: "Not here. I'll go check Josh's office."

 

The president walks down the halls to Josh's office.  He walks right in and see's Josh and Leo sound asleep.  Behind him the senior staff gather around the open door. The president walks silently up to Leo.

 

POTUS: "Leo, wake up."

 

Instantly Leo is awake

 

LEO: "Yes sir."

 

POTUS: "Hush, let me wake Josh. Josh time to get up."

 

C.J.: "Boy isn't this familiar."

 

C.J. smiles as she looks at the situation. Josh slowly opens his eyes.

 

JOSH: "Sir."

 

Donna comes walking in carrying a box.

 

DONNA: "Josh come sign for this they won't let me."

 

A wide eyed delivery man walks in. The president grabs the papers.

 

POTUS: "Surely I can sign for him."

 

DELIVERY MAN: "Of course, Mr. Mr. President."

 

The president signs and looks at the package.

 

JOSH: "Who's it from?"

 

Josh begins to wake up

 

JOSH: "And what is every one doing in my office?"

 

TOBY: "Waking you and Leo up. Josh you've got to stop teaching other people your crazy

habits."

 

JOSH: "Leo?"

 

TOBY: "Yeah he was asleep in here too."

 

SAM: "It's from a Paul Coverdell."

 

JOSH: "Really!?"

 

Josh grabs the package from the presidents hands and begins to rip it open.

 

POTUS: "Let me guess, info on the education bill."

 

JOSH: "How did you know about that sir."

 

POTUS: "My wife told me that there was an important education issue going around. That and she left the overview letter out and I read it."

 

Josh stops opening the package.

 

JOSH: "Well, it doesn't matter anymore. Senator Coverdell is dying. His wife called me last night and told me. My copy of the bill got blown up in the helicopter. The original was with Senator Coverdell.  No one can find it, and we didn't make any copies.  Without the bill this info is meaningless. The entire thing will have to be rewritten."

 

Josh stops and sighs visibly tired.

 

Charlie walks in.

 

CHARLIE: "Mr. President the Secretary of Treasury would like to speak to you. He's waiting

by your office."

 

POTUS: "Tell him, I'll be there in a moment. Don't worry Josh, the bill never had a chance with so many good ideas. Congress never passes good ideas, they only destroy them."

 

JOSH: "But it did have a chance. We were really close."

 

POTUS: "Why don't you take the morning off."

 

JOSH: "Thanks sir. I think I may do that."

 

Slowly the rest of the staff leaves.

 

 

 

Donna is cleaning Josh's office and looking out the window for Josh when she notices the half

open parcel. She looks out the window quickly and finishes opening it. She looks at the cover sheet and reads part of it aloud.

 

DONNA: "This bill is very important Josh, try your hardest to get it through unchanged. I'm sorry I won't be there to help you, but I must stay in Georgia for a while."

 

Donna flips through a few of the pages and realizes that it's the education bill typed and ready to go to the house. She smiles and looks out the window. She runs out of the office.

 

 

 

Josh walks in to the white house.

 

JOSH: "You know it's slightly unsettling that you always are here."

 

DONNA: "I know"

 

JOSH: "Ok"

 

DONNA: "Josh what would be the best thing that could happen right now."

 

JOSH: "You telling me that I the president did something phenomenally great and wrapped up

reelection."

 

DONNA: "No, try again."

 

JOSH: "Paul walks in to my office and hands me the education reform bill."

 

DONNA: "Almost, guess what I found."

 

JOSH: "What?"

 

Josh stops walking

 

JOSH: "Donna I'm not in the mood for games."

 

DONNA: "The package was the education reform bill already typed and ready to go."

 

JOSH: "Come on Donna I'm not in the mood for any games."

 

DONNA: "No games. This is true."

 

JOSH: "Really?"

 

DONNA: "Really"

 

Josh sprints for his office with Donna running a step behind him. He enters his office and opens to a random page. A smile breaks out across his face.  Donna stops at the door. Josh turns around and gives Donna a huge hug. Her kisses her on the cheek. In the background all of the staffers stop work and watch.

 

JOSH: "Go tell Toby. I'm going to tell Sam and Leo."

 

 

 

LEO: "Congratulations Josh House bill 254 has been passed by the Senate largely unchanged.

You've just reformed the education system of America."

 

 

Leo raises his glass of water to the group. The group raises their glasses. Donna, Josh, Leo, Toby, Sam, Charlie, C.J., Danny, and Mandy sit around a large table at a fancy restaurant. Josh stands up.

 

JOSH: "Let me say that Paul would have been proud of this. He would have said thank you to Mandy for bringing the teacher unions in to support this.  Thanks to Danny for his investigative reporting that brought education back to the spotlight at just the right time. And C.J. I'm sorry that you missed dinner with Danny because he was doing me a favor. Thanks to Leo, Sam, and Toby for fighting so hard on those last few votes. Thanks to Donna for finding the bill and for making me go to sleep every night whether I had work or not. And thanks to Charlie for keeping the president supporting this bill. And thanks to the late Senator Paul Coverdell for making this all possible. "

 

 

Josh raises his glass and takes a sip wine. Donna stands up.

 

DONNA: "The only person Josh forgot to mention was himself. This bill wouldn't have passed if Josh hadn't worked day and night to prepare it and to get it passed. Now that its done I hope that you can manage not working yourself to exhaustion."

 

The entire group raises their glasses and toast the victory once again.

 

 

The End

  


End file.
